Director elections will be held for the Junior Cattlemen's Association during the State Fair.Members interested in running for director should contact LeAnne Peters, cbmag@att.net, for application forms.

A printable flier is now available for restaurants to display in their establishment announcing the Best Burger Contest and encouraging their customers to vote for them. If you haven't voted for your favorite burger restaurant, DO IT NOW!

Beef in the Classroom

Christine Fielder conducted several beef lessons for students in Coffeeville. Teachers and volunteers interested in lesson plans around nutrition and beef production are encouraged to contact the Mississippi Beef Council office for free educational material.

Congratulations Jessica! After receiving more than 155,000 votes in the "Stand and Be Heard Anthem Singing Contest," FMC Agricultural Products Group (APG) announced that Jessica Smith from Pearl River County is one of the four finalists to continue on in the competition. The four will be featured on RFD-TV on Thursday, October 4; at 9:00 p.m. Jessica will need your votes on September 24 to October 19, to be selected as winner of the $10,000 grand prize!

Learn @ Lunch: Economics

Each Tuesday and Thursday during September, cattlemen may attend the free online educational sessions from their own home or office.Learn @ Lunch sessions provide practical knowledge for beef cattle producers of all types to enhance financial viability and improve farm management decision making.Click here for speakers and webinar details.

Checkoff-sponsored BQA Video

Building a Bud Box

National

Time Running Out for Farm Bill

Congress reconvenes today with only 8 legislative days remaining before the current Farm Bill expires. In an interview on Radio Oklahoma Network Friday, House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas (R-Okla.) said, "I am counting on my members coming back in from the countryside and explaining to the elected leadership, on both the majority and minority sides, that it's important that we have a comprehensive farm bill, that the certainty that a farm bill provides in drought years and in non-drought years is critically important. My concern is, though, I'm not seeing that kind of response. The conversations I'm having with my colleagues, the interaction I'm having with folks across the country, I'm not seeing that fired up concern that will help drive this process."According to the interview, some members of Congress are calling for the passage of a stripped down, short-term extension of the current farm bill even if it is only for a few months. This would reportedly allow for some disaster relief and would push a comprehensive farm bill into the next Congressional session. Lucas said he believes it would be even more difficult to pass such a short-term farm bill. He said he is seeing more support for a one-year extension and, if that's all he can get, it may not be such a terrible idea. Lawmakers eager to get back on the campaign trail are expected to enact a six-month stopgap spending bill which could be the vehicle for an extension of federal farm programs set to expire at the end of the month.The House is on track to clear the continuing resolution (CR) this week, with the Senate expected to follow suit next week, according to House and Senate aides from both parties. The fiscal year expires Sept. 30, and House and Senate leaders have pledged to pass the CR to keep the government funded through March. This measure would allow Congressional leaders to avoid a politically self-destructive fight over funding the federal government before the November elections.

9.10.12

Market Notes

September 7, 2012

Dr. John Michael Riley

Cash Cattle:Cash fed cattle were higher although trade was slow through Friday afternoon. Movement of cash cattle was too slow to call a trend in specific feeding regions, while the five-area live and dressed prices were, respectively, $2.27/cwt and $0.72/cwt higher at $121.80 and $189.48. No sale on Monday in Oklahoma City due the Labor Day holiday. In Mississippi markets, feeder steers were called at $1-$4/cwt higher and heifers were called $1-$5/cwt higher. Slaughter cows and bulls sold steady.

Futures:

Live cattle futures were mostly steady this holiday shortened week. The slow cash trade did not provide any direction for a market in the midst of a breather. The post Labor Day lull and pre-supply/demand report push likely had many traders (both hedgers out in the field and speculators) sitting on the sideline. A weaker than expected jobs report on Friday did not pull on prices like in the past.Corn futures mimicked cattle in having a mild and steady four day week. New crop prices slid a bit early on as traders continued to remove the "hurricane premium" that was added in advance of Isaac since the storm did less damage than initially expected. Prices pushed higher Thursday as wheat prices took off but little other news filtered in on the week.

Beef:

The record sure seems to be broken...Beef prices held mostly steady with last week's average. Choice boxed beef averaged $190.97/cwt, down $0.08 and Select averaged $181.52/cwt, up $0.61.